We don’t know what it is, but some people are crazy about House Park. On a recent visit, we saw two totally separate instances of pitmasters and cashiers being thanked and complimented with great passion. That smoked meat, when done right, can inspire such reaction is no surprise; we just never thought House Park was all that impressive. Not if you’ve been to Lockhart or Llano…or even Franklin, near the interstate. But recent visits have found this lovable old-timer a bit better than we remember. It’s been doing its thing near House Park Field since 1943, with just a few tables in the smoky-ochre inside, some picnic tables out front, and—even better—a lovely swatch of greenbelt right across the street.

A chopped beef sandwich is good with some of the thin, vinegary house sauce. Brisket’s okay—better ordered “fatty,” but even then, the fat sort of just hangs out on the edge, not melting into the beef like that of best brisketeers. Sausage has a good, coarse grind and mild, peppery flavor, but a tough, chewy casing (which has its fans among the orally fixated). Of the standard sides, only the chunky, mustard-creamy potato salad stands out. House Park is friendly, cheap, good (apparently ethereal to some), and right in the middle of town. What more do you need out of lunch?